The field of this invention relates generally to engines, and more particularly to a method and system for use in monitoring engines via decomposition of data using a graphical multivariate analysis.
Generally, known engines include a plurality of known components that facilitate a plurality of known operational processes. During operation of an engine, a user typically monitors a selected number of engine processes by collecting data associated with parameters that are at least partially representative of the existing conditions of the components. Specifically, a user may monitor a plurality of operational parameters through raw data supplied directly to the user, or by processing at least a portion of the data collected and providing the results of such processing to the user. Some known processed data is generated from one parameter, while other processed data is derived from a plurality of parameters. Moreover, such raw and processed data may enable trending activities to be generated, such as a trend chart of the raw and processed data. Typically, such trend charts illustrate such data, whether raw or processed, versus time. Moreover, some known trend charts include a plurality of trend plots, wherein each trend plot is associated with one parameter.
At least one known method of monitoring the operation of an engine includes generating a plurality of such trend charts, and/or generating a plurality of data tables, and having a user attempt to determine the relative proportion of how each parameter is impacting the process. If more than one parameter or issue is adversely affecting any of the processes, assessing the extent of how each parameter impact the process may be time-consuming, difficult, and/or inaccurate. For example, it is possible that an anomaly embedded within the data may be identified that ultimately is not adversely impacting the parameters and processes being evaluated. In addition, for those trend charts that indicate a plurality of parameters, such parameters may be scaled such that an apparent disproportionate relationship between parameters that do not share a common unit of measurement may be insinuated.